Loss #29

At 2:07 am last night when Jeff Conine grounded out for the 3rd time this game the Phillies officially had their 29th loss of the second half of the season. As you know, well... those who've actually been reading my blog know, I predicted that if the Phightin Phils were to make the playoffs they could only lose 28 games after the all star break. Until last night they were only 1 game out of the wild card, but with the Dodgers and Padres hammering the Rockies and Diamondbacks respectively, the Phils now sit 2 games back of the Dodgers in the chase, who sit 1 game back of the Padres for the NL West lead. Now it isn't "over" per say for the Phils, but they have put their backs against the wall officially, and they've got to be exhausted from their last two games which had them sitting in RFK Stadium for a total of almost 12 hours. God knows I'm tired of watching them. If the Dodgers lose 2 out of 3 and the Phils sweep they will be tied for the wild card and have a 1 game playoff against the Dodgers Monday in Philly. If the Dodgers lose all 3 and the Phils sweep then the Phils get the Wild Card. Now if the Padres get swept and the Phils sweep and the Dodgers win 2 or 3 games this weekend the Phils will play the Padres on Monday in a 1 game playoff in Philly. Now if the Padres get swept the Dodgers lose 2 of 3 and the Phils sweep the Marlins... who knows. Then you have to throw in the mix of the NL Central chase with Houston and St. Louis and if the winner there ends up with the same record as the NL West leader and the Phils... wow... my head hurts. But regardless of what happens... if the Phils lose again, they're most likely done and yet another year goes by where we follow them all the way down to the end of the season and then watch our chances wash away. Agony at its best.